March 9, 2020 at 5:30 PM - Jackson-Madison County School Work Session

Discussion:  James Johnson Board Chairman, called the March 9, 2020 Work Session to order with a moment of silence

Discussion:  There were no Public Comments at the March 9, 2020 Work Session

Discussion:  Holly Kellar the Director of JMCSS Fiscal Services presented to the Board 11 Budget Amendments and these amendments were approved by the county Financial Management Committee.  The General Purpose February Financial Statement has been posted, showing expenditures coming in at 2.3 million dollars ahead of last year.  As of the end of February, 63.2 million dollars had been expensed with an additional 2.6 million dollars in outstanding encumbrances.  This is 60.8% of the total budget as opposed to being at 60.5% of the total budget at the same time last year.  Year-to-date revenues thru January total 55.6 million dollars.  February revenues are yet to be posted but will total over 12 million dollars.  The preliminary year-end estimates are included on the Financial Statement and show expenditures coming in at 96.7% for the year.  This puts total expenditures at 3.3 million dollars over last year.  For now, revenues are shown to come in as budgeted.  With these estimates, the District would be using 1.2 million dollars of fund balance leaving a fund balance of 12.6 million dollars at the year-end.  Our budget committee is meeting on a regular basis.  We have reviewed all requests from principles and district administrative staff.  There were a lot of maintenance and capital requests from the principals.  Some of the request will be taken care of from the current budget and some will be included in the operating and capital budgets next year and the following years.  Using projected enrollment numbers, we have worked though FY21 staffing projections for elementary and middle schools and will meet again at month-end-to review high school staffing  before scheduling to meet with principles to discuss all of their requests.  After speaking with Commissioner Stephenson and County Finance Director Karen Bell, Mrs. Kellar will move the budget presentation from the April Board Meeting to May which is consistent with our timeline for past years,, giving us much needed time to continue to work through the budget process.  Mrs. Kellar mention the update with the Executime, which is the electronic timekeeping system that is currently being implemented.  The Fiscal Services Department with the Human Capital, Finance and the County Human Resource Departments, have been working behind the scenes for several months with the budget.  With using so many different departments gives a better representation for the budget.  The following departments are in the test group and hopefully will go live by July 1st; the county, bus shop, maintenance, Community Montessori and three departments at Central Office.   

Discussion:  Karen Bell the Finance Director for Madison County Finance Department, submitted to the Board the 141 School Fund report.  The review in January expenditures shows $55,548,52.02 expended with revenues in amount of $55,626,850.52.  The Sales tax was up for the month of January over the prior two months that showed a shortfall.  There was an increase over the same prior yea period of $191,325.  Mrs. Bell gave an update with the Public/Private Partnership.  The submissions on behalf of both the county and city have been sent to Comptroller's Office for review and approval.  In the last seven days, there have been submitted 15 updates/changes are are now awaiting an approval letter that the state should be releasing and sent within the next two weeks.

Discussion:  James Johnson mentioned that there would be three action items for the Board to approve on Thursday, March 12, 2020.

Discussion:  Ray Washington and Bryan Chandler have assigned Bus Monitors to some buses in the system.  The Bus Monitor will assist the Driver concerning students in order for the driver to be able to drive safely.  Dr. Chandler mentioned that there is a need for other more monitors on buses and will be reviewing adding more in the next year.  

Discussion:  The Board will need to approve the sale of Surplus Items on Thursday, March 12, 2020.  Ray Washington mentioned that there are several items for surplus and mentioned that most items have been sitting for over the years.

Discussion:  The Board will need to approve the following Certification of Adoption by Local Board of Education (textbook adoption).  The following will be adopted for the Jackson-Madison County School System; State and Waiver approved - K-2, Core Knowledge Listening and Learning Skills the company Amplify, State approved -3-5 Expeditionary Learning the company EL Education, State approved 6-8, Learn Zillion Guidebooks and Waiver approved - 9-12 Learn zillion Guidebooks.

Discussion:  The Board will need to approve the 403(b) Plan Document on Thursday, March 12, 2020.  The National Tax-Deferred Savings Association (NTSA) shared some information with us to help school district employers comply with an IRS requirement for those offering 403(b) plans by March 31, 2020.  

Discussion:  Ray Washington mentioned that Attorneys have been making changes to the MOU with SRO's being used in schools.  When the MOU is finalized, there will be meetings with Administrators and Faculty addressing the usage of SROs.  The current MOU states that the Superintendent does not have authority on where the SRO is placed.  When Mr. Washington found out of the SRO being placed back at Liberty, he notified the Board Members through an email.  The SRO will not be moved until the MOU is finalized with the Sheriff Department and the District.  

Discussion:  Ray Washington mentioned that a statement from the District will go out to the public and that the Board has received documents from him concerning the Coronavirus Virus.  During Spring Break the cleaning of buses and schools will take place by the custodians.  The Principals will have a meeting with Ray Washington on March 10 to review the procedures of trying not to spread this illness among the system.  

Discussion:  The Madison Field Trip request will need to have an approval by the Board.  Unfortunately the papers were not presented at the last meeting for the proper channel of approval.  Ray Washington emailed the Board for the approval.  The following Board Members gave approval of the trip by Madison; Kevin Alexander, Wayne Arnold, Doris Black, Jim Campbell, AJ Massey and Shannon Stewart. 
The other Field Trip requests will be approved at the March 12, Board Meeting.

Discussion:  Dr. Tiffany Green mentioned that there has been a substitute training and revisions for Substitute list by the April Board meeting for Teachers to use.  Dr. Green stated that the vacancies have been decreased by hiring for positions but that the Human Capital will continue to work hard to fill all positions.  The Teacher Retention Committee is meeting and working hard to discuss issues and how to handle the matters with Teachers in the schools.  The two items that the Committee are discussion at present are; the support with discipline and behavior of students and support with feedback of implementation with of the curriculum.  The Committee stated several times during the meeting there must be consistency with both of these items.  There was a survey given to the Teachers concerning having feedback on what they think with the working conditions and this survey was without a retaliation idea behind the survey.  Dr. Green mentioned that the Board wanted data concerning the retention of Teachers. The Human Capital has been reviewing a system to assist them for a better understanding on hires for schools.

Discussion:  James Johnson mentioned, the second round of interviews for the top three Candidates will be on Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 9:00 am, 11:30 am and 2:00 PM.  Ray Washington has been meeting with the Census people to assist the zones for schools and items have been brought to schools and the central office to be taken to Nashville for tornado relief.

Discussion:  The March 9, 2020 Work Session adjourned at 6:35